Tinderbox
by merdarkandtwisty
Summary: Gabriela Dawson and Matthew Casey have a long history that no one at Fire house 51 is aware of. Changing dynamics could make it even deeper.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Chicago fire.

**A/N something will be the same but it might not be in the order of the show. I'm playing liberally with the storyline. This is what if Gabby and Matt had connections no one else at station 51 were aware of. **

"Did you hear Matt and Hallie split up?" Shay said as they packed the Ambulance.

"What?" Gabby's head snapped around.

"Yeah I heard it had to do with her not wanting kids." Gabby groaned and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Stupid Hallie so stupid." She shook her head. "Well Casey hasn't said anything to me about it so I have no idea." Gabby shrugged. "When did this supposedly happen?"

" A few days ago I think Severide said he saw her moving her things out of the house when he passed.

"And of course he just doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut." Gabby grumbled.

"Hey you know they haven't been that friendly since Andy's death." Shay shrugged. Trying to stay neutral but everyone always knew she'd come out for Severide at any time.

"Ambulance 61 head injury plaza place." Dispatch came over the loud speaker.

"Duty calls." Gabby jumped up into the Ambulance as Shay took the driver's side.

An hour later they found themselves back at the station. "Everything go ok?" Otis asked coming around the corner.

"Yeah only minor injury the kid will be fine." Shay grabbed a water from the fridge and sat down on the couch pushing Mouch's foot out of the way.

"Good." Otis nodded sitting down to a game of Solitaire. Dawson looked around and noticing that everyone was occupied she slipped off to find Casey. Finding him was easy getting his attention was the problem.

She cleared her throat she stood their silently she tapped her foot. Finally she was done being subtle "Matthew Casey that must be some very intense paperwork there." He jumped slightly turning to see her standing in his door way.

"What's up Dawson?"

She shoved off the wall and came into the room shutting the door behind her. "So what is this I hear about you and Hallie splitting up?" the color seemed to drain from Casey's face as he looked over at her.

"Who told you that?"

"Shay who heard it from Severide who saw Hallie moving out a few days ago."

"And of course he couldn't keep his mouth shut." Casey groaned burying his head in his hands.

"So it's true then is it also true that she left because you wanted kids and she didn't?"

"Yes." Casey spit out. "Eight years and sure I knew she wasn't ready for kids yet but I thought soon in a few years and then she says I don't think I'll ever want kids eight years I've wasted."

Gaby felt anger rising in herself. "So where is she staying?"

"Her parents I think."

"I never liked her."

"I know." Matt snorted. "You made that clear eight years ago when I first brought her home.

"Ah you should have listened to me then." She playfully shoved his shoulder.

"So not a time for I told you so's Dawosn." He said.

"I know sorry." She sobered. "Are you going to be ok?" she laid her hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine," he sighed and turned to her his shoulders dropping. "I think in reality I knew it was over long ago I just didn't want to admit it. She's not a bad person she's just not on the same track as me and I wish I'd realized that before now."

"I wish you had too." Gaby whispered too low for Casey to hear her. Gabriela Dawson and Matthew Casey had known each other since she was born and he was seven they'd been next door neighbors their whole lives and after his mother had went to jail he'd even lived with Gaby's family for a while until he went to the academy. They'd kept in touch but why would he want to be around a teenager and just as she was old enough to date him just as she finished high school and was getting ready to go off on her own he'd met Hallie. Swept into the whirlwind that was the pretty premed student he hadn't a spare glance for Gaby.

Hallie had seemed perfect next to Gaby twenty four and on the fast track to an amazing medical career. At the time he met her nineteen year old Gaby hadn't even known where she was going with life. they'd stayed in touch and somehow fate had brought them back together in firehouse 51. Their old friendship becoming new again. It didn't hurt that she had still seen him regularly not that that could have been helped her parents had practically adopted him and he was her brother's best friend but they hadn't really talked until she landed here in this firehouse. Now four years later here she stood Still in love with him as ever if not more. What she felt for him before was a young girls love for her idol. What she felt now was a grown woman's love for the man who would always love.

Though she stood there to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. "Do you think you'll ever get back together?"

"No." Matt shook his head. "I want something I'm not willing to compromise on kids are important to me you know that."

"Are you going to be ok?" she shook her head. "Stupid question of course you're not."

"How about tomorrow you come over to my place I cook you up your favorite meal and we drown our sorrows in a bottle of wine?"

"Sounds good." Casey chuckled wearily.

"Good I'll see you then." She winked playfully as she walked back to the break area. She looked around thankful that no one had noticed her absence. No one not even Kelly or Shay knew how deep Gaby and Matt's friendship went and she wanted to keep it that way. She didn't want to answer the questions that would bring and she was sure Casey felt the same way.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Chicago fire.

"Ow." Gaby stuck her finger in her mouth as she rushed to answer the knock that had just sounded on her door.

"What are you doing here?" she glared at her older brother as she continued to sooth the burn from the pan of chicken she'd just pulled out of the oven.

"Yes it's nice to see you to sis, of course I'd love to come in." Antonio smirked stepping through his sister's door. "it sure does smell good in here."

"You're not invited." Gaby shook her head.

"I'm wounded." Antonio covered his heart.

"Good now leave." She tried to push him towards the door.

"What do you have a hot date?" his eyes twinkled.

"ohh who is it?" his eyes twinkled at her."

"It's not a date." Just then another knock sounded on the door.

Antonio smirked as he opened the door. "Casey." Surprise colored his voice.

"Hey Tony." Matt walked past him sitting down a case of beer on Dawson's table.

"Ok then." Antonio shook his head. "Are you here under duress did my sister kidnap you blink once for no twice for yes." He joked.

"Oh ha ha very funny." Gaby stuck her tongue out at him.

"I thought so but seriously what's going on." He sat down next to his best friend.

"You mean you haven't told him?" Gaby said swinging her surprised gaze to Matt.

"I didn't tell anyone you just heard through the rumor mill and then said I had to come here." Casey pointed out.

"I feel so appreciated."

"Hey at least you're in the loop." Antonio said.

Matt sighed. "Hallie and I spilt up."

"Ah man I'm sorry." Antonio took a beer and opened it.

"So I'm guessing you're staying."

"Now I'd never turn down your cooking you know that."

"Well then you better call Marina."

"Right you are." Antonio stood up and pulled his cell phone out walking towards the living room to call his wife.

"I'm sorry about him he just showed up."

Matt waved away her concern. "He had to find out sooner or later he is my best friend after all."

"Which is why I'm surprised you hadn't told him yet."

"just didn't want to talk about it." Matt shrugged taking a slug of his beer.

"Right dropping it." Gaby went back to her food plating it and adding an extra setting for her brother.

"Tony dinner is ready?"

"Coming," he walked into the room flipping his phone shut. "Mari says hi."

"So I made Chicken." She plated it and sat down. Silence rang around the room.

"Seriously are we going to let this keep us from talking really I mean really yes Hallie was a part of your life for eight years but me and Tony have been a part of your life a lot longer?" She ranted.

"Oh dear duck and cover Gaby is at it." Tony stabbed his chicken.

"Sorry Princess Gabriela what would you like to talk about?" Casey joked.

"I don't know hey I have an idea but you'll have to wait until after dinner."

"Ohh I can't wait." Casey smirked. Twenty minutes later Gaby disappeared into her room. "Are you scared of what she might bring out?"

"Sort of with Gaby you never know."

"Here it is." Gaby came out of her room waving a dart board and a hand full of darts.

"Stop waving those." Casey playfully ducked.

Gaby ignored him and pinned the board up. "Something isn't right oh I've got it." She snapped her fingers and walked back into her room she came back waving a picture she pinned it up causing the men's mouth's to drop open.

"Well that's interesting."

"You want us to throw darts at that?"

"Of course it will be good for all of us."

"Sure." Casey shrugged. He stepped up and threw the first dart. It landed square in the middle of the picture of Hallie that Gaby had pinned up.

"That kind of was fun." He throw two more and smirked stepping aside to let Antonio and Gaby to take their turns. Finally half an hour later Gaby unpinned it and held it up.

"Well I think that sufficiently looks like Swiss cheese." Gaby smirked holding up the hole riddled picture.

"Well this has been fun but I should get home." Antonio kissed his sister's cheek and shook Matt's hand. "I'm sure I'll see you both soon.

Antonio left and Matt stood up from the couch. "I should get going to we have shift tomorrow.

"Right I'll see you at work." Gaby nodded.

Matt pulled her into a hug "Thanks for this Gabs this is exactly what I needed."

"Any time." she said trying not to sink to deeply into his hug. He let her go and she walked him to the door shutting and locking the door behind him she collected the empty beer bottles throwing them into a bag she did the dishes before collapsing into bed replaying the hug between her and Casey.


End file.
